A Demon's Heart
by CodeLyoko
Summary: A strange child known as Kadaj had escaped from Shinra. Cast out as a demon from feline attributes, he was found by a farmer boy named Cloud. Fascinated by the small boy, he took him in to raise as a little brother. But someone wants him back. Cloud/Kadaj
1. Chapter 1

Kira: I don't own Final Fantasy, so yeah haha. Please enjoy. I'm not thinking of this as a multichapter story, just as a story which has many parts, so that way I won't just stop in the middle and give it up.

* * *

It was a life of pain. A life of terror and fear. To one such as him, rejection was the only thing he received, being feared yet hated for what he was. But that was only the beginning. His ability to quickly run away had saved his life on more than one occasion. It was the same thing over and over again - run away, hide, survive. His future would never shine bright with hope, forever to be stained with blood and tearful screams. It was the only thing that he thought would be true.

"_Demon! Get out!"_

Demon… Why was he always called on by such hatred? Of fear? They knew nothing of what he had gone through. Screams, tears.

"_A demon! Get it away from my child!"_

Child? Wasn't he just a mere child himself? Was he not just the same as any other young humans?

"_It will curse us all!"_

Curse? Was he cursed?

"_Away you cursed thing!"_

Flee. Get away from those yells. Cast out from yet another part of the small town of Edge. Such a silly name… To the Slums nearby then. Maybe with some luck…

The young child of near seven was huddled behind some trash cans, chin on tiny knees. Shivering through a tattered t-shirt two sizes too big for his frail body, he waited, trembling in fear. Two, no, now five separate footfalls reached his ears. He had been chased to the slums as well?… Eyes closed, face buried into his skinny arms, waiting, fearing.

Nothing…

The footfalls faded, the yelling disappearing from the air, but the tension and terrified emotions of the boy still hung in the air. Hesitantly, the boy looked up, opening his unnatural eyes. They glowed in the dark of the near setting sun, seeming to have a life of their own. The color of green dancing flames swirled deep in their depths, complimenting the black sliver of a pupil that accompanied them. A cat's pupil. Just the sight of those twin eyes still could give the bravest of men chills, even with such innocence in them. The gaze was cut off when one of the eyes was covered with the silky moonlight colored hair. It shimmered even in the night, making the child seem all the more eerie and cunning than he currently was.

Though his unusual features immediately set him apart from any parentless orphan wandering around on the streets, there was reason for him to be called a demon. Two cat ears the color of his beautiful hair adorned his head, lying flat as they could near to his skull, afraid to draw attention to them. A long feline tail protruded from underneath the shirt, more easily concealed.

They were gone? Those strange ears perked up from where they lay flat and still, twitching a bit to catch any sound. A small noise interrupted the intense concentration. Frightened, the boy nearly jumped; however, he realized that it was just his stomach demanding food. He ducked his head, causing his eyes to disappear behind a veil of shimmering silky strands.

Food…. It would be hard to come by down here... At least up where the sunlight hit the busy town of Edge, and the massive city of Midgar, food could easily be stolen, but at a higher risk of being spotted and possibly taken away to the horrible labs from where he had escaped from. Just the thought of the horrifying place made him shudder violently, recalling those long torture-filled nights he had endured since he had been alive.

Settling back onto the current need, he slowly stood up, swaying slightly out of dizziness. His body was malnourished from the lack of food. Hesitantly those hidden eyes made a quick sweep of the alleyway he was in. It was unfamiliar to the young child, having never been in this part of the slums before. A frown tugged at those pale lips, the skin nearly white from the lack of being in the sun. He crept out of the dead end, eyes widening as if to catch any and all movement. Hardly anyone was around this deserted part, but his cautious nature made him wary.

The scent of fresh warm bread teased his nose after a couple of yards, making his mouth nearly drool at the mere smell of it. His slow pace quickened, keeping as much as possible to the shadows as he could, afraid to be seen. The tip off his tail could have been seen from under the poor dirty clothing he wore. His sharp sense of smell easily led him to the source. The Slum market. Though the market was not as grand as the one in Edge or as massive as Midgar's, it did contain vital needs for the Slum dwellers to live. One of those major needs was food, which directed his attention immediately to a bread stand only a couple of feet away. Cat ears perked up with extreme interest, slitted pupils locked onto a certain loaf of bread, good enough distance away from the stall owner that he could steal it without being seen.

He took a path that remained in the shadows of the concrete and steel buildings, using any thing near him to hide behind. The child barely noticed a blonde male walking up to the stall, chatting with the owner immediately as he bought himself a few loaves of bread, a black yearling horse in back of him, one who, unlike the humans, had noticed the presence of a demonic child. Nervously, not able to clearly see where said child was, the horse started to prance frantically, making its owner turn to calm it down. Seeing the chance with both humans distracted, the boy reached out, long delicate fingers closing around the prize. Bare feet leaped in the opposite way, holding the precious bit of food in his arms possessively.

The sudden action caught both of the men's attentions, the younger one merely blinking at the sight, while the stall owner let out a cry of surprise. Receiving the immediate attention of the two, the child nearly dropped its hard earned prize and fled, making a beeline straight to an alleyway, feeling new eyes fall upon his back, the other stall owners and shoppers.

The demon child managed to escape, thinking that no one was after him, but his feline ears twitched, picking a faint sound, first of a few coins dropping of wood, then of a set of footfalls coming after him, followed by the telltale clip clop of a horse.

He was being followed? By who? Blistering hot fear was sent shooting through his veins at the realization. No, he couldn't be caught! His speed picked up. Frightened eyes darted side to side, trying to find a place where he could hide, while he felt the following stranger speed up. Without looking where he was going, quickly glancing back to check if the one chasing him was close, he turned into a dead end, nearly running into a trash can. He let out a yelp, crashing to the ground, but refused to let the bread fall on the ground. His heart was racing, quickly looking for a hiding spot.

There, behind a pile of trash bags, though some were split open. Diving behind the pile, he waited, shivering in terror at having been found. Those footsteps following him soon slowed down, ending up at the entrance to the dead end.

No, don't come in here.

They were coming closer. Scared, the child hunched down into a ball, ears completely flat against his head. A shadow hovered over him suddenly, blocking out a bit of the light that was provided.

"Hey, are you okay?" The gentle voice of the speaker made his head jerk up, staring deep into sapphire blue eyes. Immediately he scrambled away, pressing up against the corner, finding no where else to run to. The male, dressed in clothing that suggested that he worked a small tiny backyard garden for money, surprisingly looked to be only a few years older than him. Somehow, he sensed there was nothing to be afraid of. The oceanic eyes were framed by a kind smile and spiky blonde hair that reminded him of the creatures called chocobos.

"Take it easy, kid, I'm not going to hurt you. My name is Cloud." The tone was so gentle and musical; it almost was like a lullaby. The child however, refused to come to him, ducking his head when the blue eyed elder boy caught sight of those unusual eyes of his, then his hair color and feline attributes. However, there was no gasp of horror or backing away. Instead, Cloud reached out to gently scratch the closest ear he found. Unbidden, a purr escaped the feline child's throat, nearly collapsing against the hand, soothed by the touch. The blonde boy's face lit up in a smile.

"So… What's your name?" he asked, withdrawing his hand after running a few fingers through that silky beautiful hair. The purr stopped, the child almost looking annoyed and a bit confused why Cloud has stopped. The kid looked down, ears flattening down a bit, unsure of what to say, having never talked for a while.

"K… Kad… Kadaj…" he whispered, his voice sounding so alien to his ears, as well as his name. Cloud almost chuckled. Such an unusual name for an adorable cute orphan. In fact, the cat features made Cloud want to take the child home and love him like a little brother. Wait, that was a perfect idea. It had its risks though, especially since the features meant he might have been an experiment at Shinra. He froze for a bit, hearing Shinra infantrymen, a small patrol group, run past in a jog, making him barely move, not wanting to give their positions away. He couldn't stand the thought of having the adorable Kadaj taken away.

He was forming an attachment quickly… So unlike him.

It was decided, he would take the poor starving child, Kadaj, in. Standing up from his kneeling position, he held out a hand to Kadaj, smiling.

"Hey, Kadaj, would you like to come with me? I promise I'll take care of you, just like a little brother." He said brightly. The offer shocked the demon child, blinking a few times, processing what his ears had picked up. Seeing the warmth in Cloud's eyes, he felt so compelled to say yes... Raising a hesitant hand, he felt Cloud grip his hand gently, helping him up.

A big brother… He liked how that sounded.


	2. Chapter 2

Kira: Once again I have fallen behind in updating these stories. Terribly sorry. Here's a new chapter for you all! I'm getting so writer's blocked on this though haha.

* * *

Ten years… Ten years since that fateful day that led to him 'adopting' the beautiful silver haired beauty into his life. He had no idea how life would have been like if he had not been at that certain bread stand for his weekly shopping. It now seemed like such a dream, and yet here he was now.

Supporting just himself and his yearling horse had been hard enough, but even with another mouth to feed, he still magically managed. The more time the feline child spent out with Cloud, the more the Slum dwellers of the market got used to him, even though they still were a bit weary of him. It was nearly as if he was a plain human instead of a demon, which brought out his playful, yet cunning personality, Cloud having successfully drawn him out of his shy shell.

As the years passed, Cloud had found himself growing more and more attached to the adorable child. It was even cuter when a storm had caused the feline to bolt into the bed huddling close to Cloud's half naked form. The blonde remembered the event clearly.

_It was storming. Even though the slums were protected from the worst of the weather by being built under the supported city of Midgar, they still experienced the storm. Thought most feared storms, mostly the young orphaned children on the streets, but one such child feared the storms the most…_

Kadaj…

Lightning flashed while thunder accompanied its crack by roaring in rage and fury in the heavens above. A small form huddled in the small bedroom that had once been a storage room. Wide slitted eyes glowed in the near darkness, too scared to move. Each time he heard the frightening sounds, he jerked back, hugging his knees to his trembling chest. The baggy t-shirt that Cloud had given him to replace his old tattered one hung loosely around him, almost like a security blanket, one which he so desperately needed.

A second later he streaked towards the door which had been left open. The lightning and thunder seemed to follow the terrified demon child, making a whimper slide through parted lips, his chest rising up and down frantically, pumping adrenaline through his veins. Ears were flattened, while his tail streamed behind him, nearly stiff. Run, he had to run!

Diving into the doorway ahead, his eyes fell on the bed that occupied on it. Without giving it a second thought, the seven year old boy leaped into it, shaking the bed, and its owner. The blonde shot up, blinking as his eyes tried to get used to the lack of light, though when the lightning flashed, it illuminated the small shaking child.

"Kadaj? Wha-?" Cloud was cut off when lightning shattered the air again, making Kadaj leap into his arms, having not even noticed that he wore nothing but very loose pants. The twelve year old teen hugged his adopted little brother, running a hand through his silky hair in order to calm him down.

"It's just a storm… but you can sleep in here with me if it will help you fall asleep." He offered. The boy nodded, a whimper coming from his lips as he buried his head into Cloud's chest. A small smile, affectionate, crossed his lips as he laid back down, drawing the blanket over both of them. The feline male soon fell asleep listening to the calm and soothing heartbeat of his older brother's.

That event led to Kadaj frequently appearing in the bed whenever he felt uneasy, be it a nightmare, or a storm that made its presence known above. Even after all those years, that action formed into a habit, until, at age ten, Kadaj permanently slept in Cloud's bed, filling the empty void that always had been there. Now as he slightly sat up in his bed, the blanket covering them falling to reveal his bare chest, his eyes traveled down to stare at the breathtakingly beautiful male that had been curled up to his chest.

Luscious silver hair was spread onto the dull crimson sheets and the black pillow that the feline had found one day. Kadaj had always wore a full set of loose black clothing to bed, loving to be warm, which explained why he always was found in the morning curled up, just like a real cat. But those bluish green eyes, so catlike and cunning, they never lost the ability to literally freeze him in place, drowning in the depths of their beauty. It took Cloud a few minutes to notice that he had been staring, his eyes examining every inch of the cat teen.

Wait… When had it happened? When had this over protectiveness of being a big brother turn into something… more? A frown slipped its way onto his lips, chasing the soft smile that had occupied them away. He knew it was wrong. Kadaj was his little brother, the most precious human being on Gaia to him. While the angelic demon was seventeen, he was twenty two! He knew it was wrong, doing all he could to act like that feeling was never there.

Sapphires trailed to those unopened eyes, still locked peacefully in the world of sleep, the nightmares having long left him for a few years. He remembered how awful it had been, Kadaj screaming out in terror, Cloud comforting him and reminding that he was there for him, and that he would never leave him.

Almost as if they sensed being observed, twin pools of emerald beauty were revealed as they opened. The sight of them made his heart melt, those pretty eyes having stolen it so many times. Cat ears twitched slightly, the drowsy feline still half locked in the dreaming world, eyes glazed over. Gently, Cloud scratched one ear, making the cat eyes slide close again, leaning into the touch, a heavy purr erupting from that slender throat. He almost could have chuckled at how vulnerable the normal feisty boy looked.

_How could anyone not fall for you?_

Cloud didn't know if that was said only in his mind, or if he had accidentally spoken it out loud. But if the cat had heard it, he didn't show it. A glance at the window told Cloud what time it was. Still too early to work in the back garden for the herbs and food he had in his garden, the main goods he had to trade. Breakfast, it sounded good, and he wanted to make something special for Kadaj. It was the anniversary of when they had met. Quietly, Cloud slipped out of the warm bed, seeing Kadaj shift slightly, his body recognizing the loss of the other body that inhabited the bed. He paused at his side of the bed, leaning over to kiss his forehead in a brotherly way, and then trotted off to make a bit of food.

Mako eyes opened after a while, the glaze falling from their depths. What had he heard? Fall for him? Drowsiness still clouded his mind, but he knew Cloud had muttered something, as if lost in thought. But what had he meant by it. Curling tighter, he inhaled the sweet scent of his brother's from the sheets and pillow, staring at the window, whose makeshift blinders prevented most light from entering. There was a knot in his chest, uneasiness in the marrow of his bones. Something just didn't feel right, though it may have been because of these feelings he had had of late. It worried him, made him on edge. But all thoughts of uneasiness were swept away when a certain scent invaded his nose.

Food.

Cat ears perked up, immediately sitting up in bed, pupils contracting in excitement. With a flick of his tail, fingers clutching the sheets briefly, he sprang with unnatural grace to the ground, his impact of the ground as light as a feather, just like a cat's. The aroma, as simple as it smelled, still could make him mouth water in anticipation of a delicious breakfast with his beloved brother. Nearly prancing through the short small hallway, he arrived at the kitchen, where Cloud was just about to put two plates down, the only tiny bit of silverware they owned, besides two sets of utensils.

Kadaj paused, waiting for the exact moment in which the blonde stood up straight, about to turn around, eyes nearly sweeping over to where he lurked in waiting. Three, two, one.

"Kadaj!" His name was squawked out as the feline slammed into Cloud, wrapping his arms around his neck, repeating two words over and over again. The twenty two year old stumbled as he tried to find his footing again, nearly bumping into the table.

"Thank you, thank you! Cloud I've been waiting all week for this special breakfast. You need to make it more often!" he said, smiling up at him, not even finding it awkward that their faces were only three inches away. A smirk came over Cloud's face as he hugged back.

"You deserve it today. Do you remember why today is so special?" At Kadaj's puzzled look, he continued, "Today is the anniversary of when I found you ten years ago." At that, Kadaj was silent, eyes going near hazy as he quickly recalled the fateful day. He then smiled; surprised that he had forgotten the date of when that had happened.

"It is?" he asked, just to confirm it again, and not wanting to let go, his slight playful nature still colliding with his cunning side. At Cloud's nod, he spotted something glimmering beneath the expression he currently wore. In an act of his own way of affection, he nuzzled Cloud's chin slightly, a purr escaping before he slipped out of his grip to bounce over to the other raggedy chair, sitting down on the edge to drool over the food.

After the meal, which Kadaj just devoured happily, Cloud put the dishes away, amused to see those cat ears twitching and the tail swaying side to side in a jerky happy manner. He turned his eyes out to the window, pulling back a piece of board that served as a shutter. Fenrir, his eleven year old horse, and three year old colt of his, Bahumat, were in the makeshift lean-to that Cloud and Kadaj had managed to build for them.

"I want you to take Fenrir and Bahumat to the market and pick up our weekly shopping." Cloud said, smiling as Kadaj perked up. He knew his little demon brother loved to go to the market. Each time he went, the stall owners had started to treat him like any other person. But he knew why his little brother came an hour or so late each time he was sent out on shopping. He was constantly checking up on a certain store.

"Okay!" Kadaj said, grabbing a black hat to cover his cat ears without sliding off, while his tail easily sliding around his waist underneath his pants. Giving a parting wave to his big brother, he dashed outside with a list in hand, hurrying outside to fetch the two horses. Cloud waited until his footsteps retreated to the lean-to and then made his bed. Seen half poking out from underneath the drooping bed sheet was a tip of a long black box.


End file.
